| CD REVIEW Don Caballero |
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Band : Don Caballero Gosh...one of a couple of new releases I'm having to review due to the temporary absence of one of our co-workers...and let me tell you right-off I have never heard anything by this band before, in spite of the fact that a dear and close friend of mine (lost touch due to constant moving from both parts) went quasi-berzerk when he bought and reviewed the band's 3rd album What Burns Never Returns (1998). Quite simply, I've never gotten around to getting acquainted with this now Chicago-based band. Instrumental outfit Don Caballero (which is known to its fans as "Don Cab" or "The Don") was formed in Philadelphia during the Summer of 1991 with a line-up comprising mainstay drummer Damon Che, guitarist Mike Banfield, and bassist Pat Morris. Originally, they had planned to recruit a singer, but when the band was offered to play payed gigs as an instrumental trio they decided to remain as such. Before signing a long-term deal with Touch And Go for their 1993 debut album For Respect,thebandreleasedthree 7-inchesondifferentlabels(the Pittsburg labels Pop Bus and Broken Giraffe, and Detroit-based Third Gear...and the debut album itself was preceeded by yet another single on Touch And Go).The bassist left (a first time) in the Fall of 1994, and throughout that year and the next the bass position was filled by several musicians. Second guitarist Ian Williams entered the fold, and with Matt Jencik on the bass the band recorded their sophomore album Don Caballero 2, which was to become DC's longest album to date, clocking in at almost an hour. In spite of its length and aggressive overtones, it significantly expanded the band's fanbase. Both first albums were hailed as Math Rock, as label which the band didn't really like. Though some early reviewers noted Jazz-like qualities, the material was minutely rehearsed and devoid from improvisation. Following DC's second release both Che and Williams went into side-projects (the first continuing the Van Halen-ish The Speaking Canaries which he's formed in 1991 just prior to DC, as singer/ guitarist; the latter founding Avant-Garde Rock trio Storm & Stress with bassist Eric Emm – keep that guy in mind – and drummer Kevin Shea). After a two-year hiatus, the band came back together during 1997 with Morris again as bassist. The next year saw the release of the What Burns Never Returns album, which again got critical acclaim and positive fan response. Tours in promotion of the album were met with ecstatic fans, but by the Fall of 1998 Morris again left the band. With his swift replacement Eric Emm (remember?) in place, the band continued on their live stride, setting out on a series of successful US and European tours. In '99 the band released Singles Breaking Up (Vol.1), a collection of their singles and compilation album contibutions, and during that same period guitarist Mike Banfield leaves the band. In order to allow DC to fulfill their gigging obligations, former Bitch Magnet guitarist Jon Fine stepped in as second guitarist. Back to a trio, DC toured extensively throughout the rest of the year and the following playing a set of almost completely new material, Williams and Emm both playing their instruments through Akai Headrush pedals to achieve loops and layers, with a very dense soundscape as result...a definitely positive maturation of the band's sound. Those were the songs recorded by Steve Albini for the Fall 2000 released album American Don. The band was certainly at a high point in their career, but individually things were clogging up. Pure fatigue led to stressful situations and interpersonal issues, and the members decided to break up after the November tour they were doin' in support of the album (the tour ended earlier when the band's van had an accident slipping on ice). Right after the split, Che joined Chavez as bassist for a brief tour. He also continued to develop his guitar and singing techniques for his side-project, The Speaking Canaries...but even before DC had split up, Che had started a collaboration with Sicilian native guitarist Augustino Tilotta (formerly of Uzeda), going under he name of Bellini, and the project grew to include singer Giovanna Cacciola and bassist Matthew Taylor, a unison which would sprout the 2001 album Snowing Sun on the Monitor imprint. Another thing Che had been doing during 2000 DC shows, was opeing for them with a solo set of looped guitar and samples, plus live drums and vocals. Between 2001 and 2002 he could be found doing that kind of solo shows on a sporadic basis within the Pittsburg area. Che would depart from Bellini in 2004 following a heated argument with his bandmates (after which he packed up his gear in the band's van and drove it back home, leaving the others behind. Bellini replaced him with Girls Against Boys drummer Alexis Fleisig, and has since released another two albums). Back in 2001, Che had made the acquaintance of (Don Caballero-soundalike and Pittsburg-based) Creta Bourzia members Jason Jouvier (bass), Gene Doyle and Jeff Ellsworth (both guitarists), and the four had bonded both musically and personally. Che even played bass on a Creta Bourzia tour, and Doyle played drums on a couple of Speaking Canaries gigs. When Che wanted to continue the DC story in 2003, théy were his first choice of people to do it with. It has to be said that not all DC fans of the first hour were so pleased with the new line-up, and some indeed gave Che occasional hard criticism about it. But good things come to those who persevere, and while the band was recording a new album in 2005, they were approached by Relapse for the May 2006 release of World Class Listening Problem (expertly reviewedby collegue Cosmicmasseur, review posted on 29/05/2006). The band toured heavily in support of the album, even playing its first shows in Japan and the UK. Along the way they "lost" second guitarist Jeff Ellsworth, returning the band to the three-member status. Which brings me to the reviewing of the new, 14-track album. So, what's a serious music journalist to do when having to make an article on a band he's never heard material of, knowing no one in his vicinity whom might lend him the band's previous albums for a quick listening session? He goes onto the Internet highway, tries to find as many sites possible containing music by his subject, reads as many past reviews as he can lay his hands on (possibly even already for the latest addition to the band's catalogue)...and then returns to the album at hand. First off, let it be known that in spite of the album title, DC's music is pretty much the same as before, and no new musical avenues were explored. Except for the fact that, for the first time in the band's history, they bring a couple of songs! Yes, you've read that right, a total of 6 songs get some vocal fillings. In the case of the short "Shit Kids Gallore", that comes with only the short short spoken sentence at the beginning of the track. For"Celestial Dusty Groove" and "Why Is The Couch Always Wet?" (somewhat mystifying title, won't you agree?) you'll find the vocals are rather thin and airy, laid down on a calmer track. In the short (only 104 seconds) "Dirty Looks" (with its short outburst) you may even find the vocal style somewhat efeminate and silly. Which leaves "Pour You Into The Rug", which opens a capella (background sound effect) to turn into a Rock instrumental as we're used of by the band. Wha's that mean? Well, you know, poly-rhythmic guitar, outspokingly Jazzy play on the drums, and driving bass. The last song I have to talk about is the album closing title track, which is the only song in which Che sings somewhat remeniscent to his side-project The Speaking Canaries, in a more exhilerated and Rock-oriented style. The groovy Rock music itself is somewhat different from what we're used of THIS band. Talk about music elsewhere on the album, and you'll find some occasional Jazzy intrusions, plus all the usual ingredients one might've come to know. In search of sites with the band's music on it, I found out that DC don't have a MySpace page, but you need only to surf onto the website itself and enter "Don Caballero" (don't forget to click the "music" icon) to find an amount of fan sites displaying several songs from the older albums. Now, when push comes to shove, I am always asked to give the album I review a rating, and in this case I am somewhat torn. For the instrumental tracks of the album goes, I would give maximum points, but where the songs are concerned I cannot in good conciousness go that same avenue. If it hadn't been for the album closer (which IS so different, even vocally) and that silly "Dirty Looks", things might've been quite alright, but then, as the dealer says, this is the way the cards are dealt... 89/100 Tony. |